Men of Alaska 2: Sterling Sunshine

by Cheryl Dragon

  “Isa has been introducing me around a lot. Not sure I want a military man. Lots of coast guard invites to Kodiak Island, but I’m more of a land girl.” Gretchen got seasick, airsick, carsick if she sat in the back and vertigo on carnival rides. All the meds she’d tried just made her sleepy, so it really didn’t pay to take certain adventures.

  “Well, today you get to flirt with Ross. He’s cute, nice, and loves this town. Everyone says he’s not a real politician type. I bet you can convince him to work with you.” Mel smiled. “I better get into the dress studio and be productive.”

  “Good idea.” Gretchen nodded. “I need to get some files and proposals together to show him.”

  “Don’t overlook men in your lust for work. You gave me good advice about my guys. I want you to be happy too.” Mel gave Gretchen a stern look.

  “I am happy. I have plenty to do, and I lost the weight I put on from stress-eating over not having work. I’ll never be skinny, but I feel better. The air is cleaner or something,” Gretchen said.

  “I’ve learned that life balance is worth it. There might be more dress business in New York or Chicago but the men I love are here. As long as the group has enough, we’re okay. I like this town too. You can’t have it all, but you can pick what matters most and work around the rest. The right men for you are here. I believe it.” Mel slid on her sunglasses and grabbed her bag. “See you later.”

  “All the sunshine is going to your head,” Gretchen teased. She wanted Tony to ask her out and to get to know Ross better. No matter what, she wasn’t going to let men depress her. There was more to life than love, and all of that was going pretty well.

  Chapter Two

  Sterling’s town hall wasn’t a huge building. It sat on one end of Main Street, nothing fancy or showy. Ross had learned the dull parts of the job and was finally digging into the good he could do.

  When his assistant showed Gretchen in, Ross found himself a little tongue-tied. She dressed in black slacks and a black blazer with a light blue blouse underneath that matched her eyes. That long black hair was pulled up and showed off her creamy skin. They’d met and talked several times before, but her professional touches made him want to move beyond the mundane, if important, matters of the meeting and open the door to a more personal exchange.

  “Nice of you to see me, Mr. Mayor,” she said.

  “No trouble at all. Please call me Ross. Have a seat. Would you like something to drink?” He shook her hand and the spark hit again, like it did every time they ran into each other.

  “No, thanks.” She smiled and took a seat.

  He nodded to his assistant who closed the door on her way out.

  “So are you liking your move to Sterling?” he asked.

  “Loving it. The boat repair business is easier to promote. I’m hoping that we can combine efforts and boost tourism as well as get more business for the dress shop,” she said.

  “Even the tourists don’t get that dressy around here. Except for weddings and such.” Ross wanted to work with her but getting her hopes up would only hurt his chances.

  “We’re doing a wedding show in Anchorage and I’m planning some local photo shoots of Mel’s work. We’re even developing an app. If we could possibly slant the tourism angle to include the potential for destination weddings, it might benefit us both and other local businesses. The bakery, the inn, the salon, and so on. I have a breakdown of what Isa’s wedding used locally, and it wasn’t even a high budget wedding. There could be a lot of benefits for the town.” She pulled a folder from her bag.

  There was a knock at the door.

  “Yes,” Ross said.

  “Hey.” Tony entered and stopped short.

  There was a spark and a little unease that Ross detected.

  Gretchen’s cheeks pinked up, but she recovered with a big smile. “Hi, Tony! How have you been?”

  “Good. I didn’t mean to interrupt. Ross texted about lunch, and things are actually slow today.” Tony held up his phone and gave Ross a confused look.

  “I’m glad. Gretchen and I were talking about some tourism promotions. I thought maybe we’d all grab lunch if you had time.” Ross nodded to the chair next to Gretchen.

  “That’d be lovely, but I don’t want to bore Tony with work talk.” She shrugged.

  “Look, I know what he’s up to.” Tony sighed.

  “Up to?” she asked.

  “I wanted to ask you out and pursue things once you moved up here. Obviously a group situation makes it a little more complicated to date,” Tony said.

  “You think I didn’t like Ross? Or was it that Mel is with your brother and I’m living there? Is that weird?” she asked.

  “No, that’s not the weird part. You and Ross have met, and I think that has real potential. I don’t know if Jason told you about our third sometimes guy,” Tony said.

  She looked from Ross to Tony. “Jason and everyone there has been very helpful with my move and getting me adjusted to Alaska. But there’s privacy. Jason hasn’t really gone into it. Mel said she didn’t really understand the details but mentioned a guy named Matt. I think I met him. In Mel’s defense, she has three men’s families to learn and a new town.”

  “It’s not Mel’s job to play matchmaker.” Ross felt things potentially going off track. He liked that she wasn’t needy or waiting around for them but realized Tony’s point was spot-on. She might not want drama and complications. But they were all in the early to mid-thirties. Who didn’t have some baggage and deal-breakers at that point?

  “Exactly. I don’t know how this ménage dating works either. Mel was sort of locked in working with her trio in the dark of winter. I’m not planning on leaving, but I’m not underfoot, so if men are interested, they might need to work a little. Like ask me out.” She smiled.

  “Then we should tell you about Matt. He moved here from the north. He grew up in Nome and did his pilot certifications. He’s worked Medvac flying helicopters then bush planes for supplies deep into the Arctic Circle. He’s a bit of a wild guy who likes to wander every so often,” Tony said.

  “I think you did meet him at the boat launches. He blew into town for a bit not long after you were moved in and, before we could sort out anything, he headed back out.” Ross knew that even if she was okay with a guy who traveled for work a bit, he had to be around enough for her to be sure he belonged in her life.

  “So you guys just take him when he comes back, and he leaves when he wants?” she asked.

  “His dad was an ice-road trucker. So he was gone for a long stretch. Then he went out on the boats and worked the summer. He had a dad but he was always off working to make the most money for the family. Matt has that same habit only with flying. The weather can be unpredictable and he knows Nome, Anchorage, Bethel, the Kenai, and Deadhorse up by Prudhoe Bay. He’s good.” Tony shrugged.

  “Well that’s good. So he gets a lot of work. You three are an interesting group,” she said.

  “He’s got a gift for reading the weather signs, especially on the coasts where it can be tricky. He’s a great guy, but pinning him down is a pain.” Ross didn’t want to harp on the subject. “Let’s start with lunch, and you can see if you want to work with me on this tourism thing and give us a chance at a real date.”

  “Totally independent offers,” Tony said nervously.

  She laughed. “I’m not going to trade sex or dates for help with the tourism angle, and I’m pretty sure that’s not what was being suggested. This Matt, doesn’t sound like he cares much about Sterling. He loves all of Alaska.” She stood and slid her bag over her shoulder.

  “I like you even more. Very ethical business sense and you’ve got Matt down. He’s a complicated guy at times, but we’re used to him. Tony and I try to be straightforward.” Ross winked at his guy.

  Ross finally understood Tony’s reluctance. He was totally enamored of Gretchen. She was beautiful, smart, and had a strong personality. Screwing it up once might mean no second chance. Matt could screw i
t up for them in one bad date.

  “Café?” Tony suggested.

  “We can take my car,” Ross said.

  “Sounds great.” She led the way out and Tony followed.

  “I think we’ve got a good shot,” Ross whispered in Tony’s ear. They shared a smile and caught up with Gretchen.

  * * * *

  After they’d ordered, the conversation fell silent. Gretchen was sitting across from both men. Neither, apparently, wanted to be too forward. This Matt, she remembered him vaguely. Brown eyes, dark blond hair, tall and muscular, he’d worn a Windbreaker to the boat launch. That triggered her memory. She remembered thinking Matt had dressed smartly. The wind cut through even on a warmish day, and she was still learning the quirks of weather here.

  “So the food isn’t too weird?” Ross asked.

  She shook her head. “I’ll try anything once. Almost anything. So far so good.”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t just ask you out at the wedding,” Tony said. “I should’ve but you hadn’t met Ross.”

  At least the delay made sense now. “I understand. I was wrapped up in the move and the new job. Seems like this Matt is more the troublemaker to a potential relationship.”

  “He’s been in and out of our lives for about five years. It’s complicated.” Ross shrugged.

  “But he always comes back?” she asked.

  “He likes Sterling, so he’ll come back, whether we’re together or not.” Tony gave her a boyish grin. She loved his dimpled grin and mysterious green eyes. He’d make anyone in trouble feel safe with his muscled body and calm demeanor. His brown hair was cut very much like his brother’s.

  Maybe that was another reason Tony hadn’t moved too fast. She was staying with his brother, and he could get some intel that way. Or at least see how she was fitting in. Maybe if things didn’t work out, it’d cause tension. She didn’t want to do that for Mel or anyone locally.

  Love had never worked out for her, so she wasn’t getting her hopes up on Sterling’s ménage tradition. Even if she liked these guys, she’d always gotten too eager too early in a relationship, and it ended badly. Too much pressure? Too needy? She wasn’t going to do that again!

  Especially in a small town where everyone talked. She wanted to stay and make the job work. Normally she didn’t fit in so well but her direct manner might just work in Alaska.

  “I think she’s sizing us up,” Ross said to Tony.

  “Maybe she’s rethinking any date offers because we’re too weird?” Tony replied.

  She smiled. “I don’t think it’s weird. Usually women are the ones making it too complicated. My dating experience has been rather random. So Matt is in and out of your lives. Does that mean we wait for him to turn up before we go on a date? That’s fine but I’m not planning my life around a guy who isn’t that interested in me.”

  “No, I don’t think we should wait. Life goes on here, and he knows it. It might make things a little weird when he shows up, but I think tomorrow night going for dinner would be nice,” Ross said.

  “Pick you up at seven?” Tony asked her.

  “Sure, why not?” She wouldn’t mind a nice dinner plus giving Mel and her guys a night of privacy.

  “So this destination-wedding idea. Are you hitting up the necessary places to make sure they’re on board?” Ross asked.

  Gretchen sipped her water and was glad to be back on a topic less unsettling. Was she dating two men with an option for a third? That was too odd to think about.

  “I’ve been trying to get a meeting with the owner of the Sterling Inn. I’ve floated the idea by the bakery, and they’re happy to give a small discount on a wedding cake for a package deal. The discount gets bigger if they have the bridal shower cake and any bachelorette cake done with them as well. So options are good.” She sighed.

  “A lot of people to talk to,” Tony said.

  “It is. I’m not even sure I can pull it off. This would be a big project, but I can see who’s interested. You don’t have a wedding planner in town.” Gretchen had asked around and searched.

  “That’s usually the mother of the bride and the bride around here. The inn has an events planner. But that’s not exactly what you’re talking about.” Ross shrugged.

  “No. I’m going to approach the photographer and florist. It might be a bust, but it’s worth a shot. We have a venue and all the stuff we really need. Plus the natural attractions. I’m not sure how to angle it for the brides even though we’re not in the harshest part of Alaska,” she said.

  “Nowhere near. You’re in the luxury spot here in the south. Homer usually gets more of the artsy and tourism crowd. We need to hook onto their line and share,” Tony said.

  “That’s it. The winery there, and we have a microbrewery here for the men. I can talk to the winery in Homer, and we can cross-promote. Join up the tours, it’ll help their business too. Plus we can add that as an option to our destination-wedding packages.” Gretchen pulled out her phone and made more notes.

  Tony nodded to the waitress as she brought their food. When Gretchen put her phone away to eat her caribou burger, she noticed him staring at her.

  “What?” she asked.

  “You’re definitely the woman for the job,” Tony said.

  Gretchen sat back. “Did you think it was a pity work offer? That’s the last thing I wanted. Mel and her guys have to put themselves first.”

  “I didn’t mean that.” Tony backpedaled. “You just weren’t quite this outgoing at the wedding. Friendly, yes, but since you moved here you’ve been more on a mission.”

  “So I’m too much woman for you?” she teased.

  “I think you’re just the woman to handle two or three guys.” Ross winked at her.

  “Being out of work is hard on anyone. It’s depressing and you feel powerless. You can try your best, and the right opportunity might be days, weeks, or miles away. Things happen for a reason. Mel moving to be with her guys was a huge step. I’m taking a chance on this job, and I’m not going to screw it up for lack of effort.” She took a big bite of her burger. It was odd how things seemed fresher and more real here.

  “Well, you should be safe visiting businesses around Homer and Sterling. If you ever need to contact wilderness guides or any sort of backwoods types, let me know,” Tony said.

  “You think I can’t handle it?” she asked.

  Ross reached across the table and put his hand on her wrist. “Seriously. This is live and let live country. Plenty of men stay out in the bush or in mining camps and want nothing to do with the world at large. They interact with others when they want, how they want, and aren’t afraid to pull a gun or a knife on anyone pushing into their territory. Catch them off guard, and you might be shot or cut.”

  “Definitely don’t sneak up on anyone. Always make noise. It’s good to scare off animals too,” Tony said.

  “Everyone here carries guns.” She shook her head.

  “You might be in the relatively safe and civilized part of Alaska, but you’re still not at the top of the food chain without a gun.” Ross smiled.

  “Guess I still have a lot to learn and plenty of work to do in town and one safe town over. I’m not really a camping girl anyway. I can’t wait for dinner tomorrow night with two handsome guys.” She couldn’t complain about the day she was having. The business meeting had turned into a casual date of sorts. Both the business potential for marketing Sterling and the relationship signals were getting the green light. After such a long time with nothing happening in her life, she felt like things were flowing in the right direction.

  Tony’s phone beeped.

  “A call?” Ross asked

  “No, a text. From guess who?” Tony showed the phone to Ross.

  “The guy has perfect timing,” Ross sighed.

  “Matt?” she asked.

  “Yeah. What do you think? Want to add him to dinner, so you know what we’re talking about?” Tony asked.

  “Sure. Why not?” She realized this wa
sn’t as straightforward as Mel’s men who’d been a group for a long time in one place. The two men across from her were uneasy. Were they missing Matt or worried he’d ruin things? He was the question mark and it had their situation in flux.

  Tony texted back a reply, and Gretchen wondered what tomorrow would bring. No guarantees, but dinner would be fun. She wasn’t getting her hopes up or moving too fast. When she’d had a boring, stable job, she wanted romance to give her a thrill. Now she had an unpredictable job in a wild place. This life was hers to manage and the right men would fit or not. Not that she couldn’t have fun figuring out who the right men were.

  Chapter Three

  Matt Becker rode his old Harley to the house he called home when he was in Sterling. Ross and Tony owned it, technically, but Matt always felt welcome. He parked his motorcycle, grabbed his duffel bag off the back, and headed up the stairs.

  Using his key, he opened the door and smelled dinner cooking. It was nice to have a home to come to. He dropped the bag by the stairs and walked down the hall toward the kitchen.

  Ross must’ve heard the door. The men met in the hall. “So you got bored in Anchorage?”

  Matt hugged Ross and kissed his neck.

  “I missed Sterling. Summer fun by the sea.” Matt headed to the kitchen and saw Tony.

  Reconnecting with the moody paramedic was always harder than the grounded mayor. Tony kept his cool at work no matter what, so his personal time sometimes got the spillover.

  “Miss me?” Matt asked.

  Tony paused in putting away the leftovers. “Are you hungry?”

  “Always. Not going to answer me?” Matt grabbed a plate and dished out some dinner.

  “The game is always the same, Matt. You don’t get a parade for coming home.” Tony put the leftovers away.

  “I didn’t ask for a parade. I missed you guys. And all these e-mails and texts about a woman. I don’t want to miss out on the fun.” Matt grabbed a beer from the fridge and sat at the wooden table.

  Ross got a beer of his own and sat down next to Matt. “Summer is usually your busy season. Tourists want tours and the ice roads are melted. Emergencies happen and people always need things. You can make good money flying somewhere.”